Angel in Disguise
by JA Baker
Summary: A strange AI rescues Shane Vansen and Vanessa Damphousse
1. Crashsite

Ok, this is my 'what happened next' story for the TV show 'Space: Above and Beyond', and is set after the end of series one, the only series they made.  
  
Legal: Space: Above and Beyond, and the regular characters are owned by the studio and writers that created them. The character of Michael, and his back-story are my own personal creations, and are nothing to do what so ever with the actual Space: Above and Beyond universe.  
  
Angel in Disguise, part 1  
  
Shane Vansen felt her head swim as she tried to focus here eyes. She could vaguely remember activating the emergency landing system for the escape- pod, but not much more. She was certainly aware of her body: she felt like she had taken part in a boxing match with a gorilla.  
  
A shadow moved over the canopy, and she could just make-out a voice, "I have found the escape-pod. Both captain Vansen and lieutenant Damphousse are alive, but one is severely injured. I recommend that we recover the entire escape-pod." There was the garbled sound of radio chatter, then the first voice came back, "Yes sir, I could remove the two officers from the escape-pod, but I do not recommend it." The radio squared a second time, then the shadow seemed to give in, "Ok sir, I will extract the casualties myself. Request a medi-vac shuttle at the rally-point. Angle-one out."  
  
The shadow came into sharp focus as a cutting torch ignited. Shane screamed when she saw the face that came with the voice: the un-mistakable eyes of an AI unit looked down at her. She tried to reach her sidearm, but found her arm un-willing to respond. The AI looked at her, "Do not move captain Vansen. A Chig patrol is in the area, and I must cut you and lieutenant Damphousse free before they find this pod."  
  
The AI expertly cut the remains of the escape-pod away, and with surprising gentleness, removed first Shane, then Vanessa Damphousse, from the tangled wreckage. It was only once she was free that Shane got a good look at the AI's uniform: the cross of St. Gorge on the left shoulder seemed to indicate it was English, but she didn't recognise the unit badge below it.  
  
The AI suddenly stood, and lifting an assault-rifle, fired at two Chigs who had gotten too close for comfort. The two aliens went down, and the AI lifted Vansen over one shoulder, then Damphousse over the other. Seemingly un-affected by the weight of the two Marines, it started to walk along the gull that the escape-pod had created when it landed.  
  
Shane finally found her voice, "Who, who are you?" The AI answered without braking its stride "My name is MCL-1703-X, but you can call me Michael." Shane took a deep-breath as the AI landed heavily on a rock "But you're an AI, why are you helping us?" The AI seemed to shrug, "Because it is my job, captain Vansen: I was sent to find your escape-pod and return you to allied lines. Pleas keep quiet, there are more Chig patrols in the area." 


	2. An explanation

Ok, this is my 'what happened next' story for the TV show 'Space: Above and Beyond', and is set after the end of series one, the only series they made.  
  
Legal: Space: Above and Beyond, and the regular characters are owned by the studio and writers that created them. The character of Michael, and his back-story are my own personal creations, and are nothing to do what so ever with the actual Space: Above and Beyond universe.  
  
Angel in Disguise, part 2  
  
The AI finally stopped when they reached a small cave. Shane looked round, and saw piles of equipment scattered around the cave: a radio, a small generator, and a stack of weapons and ammo. She turned to look at Vanessa: the young lieutenant was still unconscious, but seemed to be breathing steadily, if not to deeply. The AI walked over to the back of the cave, and returned with a first-aid kit and two MRE's. Shane quickly opened one of the MRE's and ate it while Michele tended to Vanessa's injuries, his back to Shane.  
  
Shane slowly pulled her sidearm from its holster and pointed it at the AI's back, "Ok, what's going on here?" Michael slowly turned, his arms raised, "Like I said captain Vansen: I was sent to find your escape-pod and return you to allied lines." Shane struggled to keep her gun level, "Why would an AI do that? You all work for the Chigs!" she asked through gritted-teeth.  
  
Michael sat down on the floor and slowly lowered his hands and placed them on his knees, "I am not a normal Artificial Intelligence unit: I was created as an experiment by the British government. I lack an internal modem, so I was not exposed to the so-called 'chance or choice' virus. After the AI-war, the project was shutdown, and I, being the only prototype in existence, was seconded to military intelligence. I have been used for recognisance and surveillance ever since. When your transport was shot down, I was the closets friendly in the area, so they sent me to pick you up."  
  
Shane lowered the gun, but kept it pointing in the same direction as Michael, "What unit do you belong to? I don't recognise the badge." The AI looked at the unit-flash on his arm, "Technically, I belong to the 22nd Special Air Service regiment." Shane blinked, "The SAS? You're a member of the SAS?" Michael nodded. Shane shock her head, "Why would a unit like the SAS want an AI, even a 'friendly' one, as a member?" Michael shrugged, "I doubt that they have been told. I have had no contact with them. Technical data and combat training was downloaded into my memory at Bletchley Park. I never went through training."  
  
The AI suddenly looked at the cave entrance, "There is a Chig patrol 200- meters south of our potion. I suggest you allow me to prepare a suitable defence." Shane nodded, and the AI picked up a GPMG and sat it at the entrance to the cave. He then handed Shane the assault-rifle he had carried during the trip from the crash-site to the cave, "You may find this more effective than your sidearm." She took the gun and checked the magazine: it was loaded, and there was a stack of spares just to her left. She grimly pulled back the bolt and pointed it at the cave entrance. 


	3. Time to make a brake for it

Ok, this is my 'what happened next' story for the TV show 'Space: Above and Beyond', and is set after the end of series one, the only series they made.  
  
Legal: Space: Above and Beyond, and the regular characters are owned by the studio and writers that created them. The character of Michael, and his back-story are my own personal creations, and are nothing to do what so ever with the actual Space: Above and Beyond universe.  
  
Angel in Disguise, part 3  
  
Shane found she was berthing heavily, and forced herself to calm down. Michael was motionless at the cave entrance, his back to her. She thought of shooting him then and there, but that would just alert the Chigs to their location if they didn't already know.  
  
She wasn't sure if he believed Michael's story, but she had heard of all sorts supposedly secret military projects over the years, and this one seemed no crazier than any other. She checked the radio: it was set to allied frequencies, but that could be so Michael could listen in as much as receive orders from command.  
  
She thought about the rest of the 58th: she new that Paul Wang was dead; she had seen the cargo-pod he was in explode while he tried to cover Nathan and Cooper's rescue of the colonists. McQueen was back on the Saratoga, no- doubt razing hell over angering a rescue mission of his own.  
  
The silence of the gave was shattered when Michael opened up with the GPMG, sending a stream of 7.65 rounds out at a Chig patrol Shane span round, ready to fire her Assault-rifle, but the AI had already killed the aliens. He stood up, "More of them will be on the way soon. Can you walk?" Shane nodded, "I think so." Michael nodded as he lifted Vanessa over one shoulder, and the medi-pack over the other. He lifted the GPMG with one hand, "If you can carry the radio as well as your rifle, we should make for the pick-up point." 


	4. Trust

Sorry this chapter's taken so long, but I started writing Andromeda fan- fiction, and couldn't stop.  
  
Angel in Disguise, part 4  
  
Shane followed Michael along a track through a lightly wooded area. She kept asking herself if she could really trust an AI. In the end she decided to find out for sure.  
  
She lifted the Assault-rifle and pointed it at Michael's back, "You going to tell me what's really going on or do I just shoot you where you stand?" Michael stoped and slowly turned round, "Look, Captain, an ISSCV is going to land 2-k's from here in less than 1-hour, and if we're not there to meet it, both you and Lt. Damphousse are going to be stuck here for the remainder of the war, and in her case, that could be deadly. So just shoot me or believe me, but stop pointing that gun at me like I'm Judas Iscariot and make up your mind!" Shan was taken aback: she'd meet AI's before, but none of them had ever acted the way Michael did. She lowed her gun, "Ok, lets keep moving." Michael nodded and started off again.  
  
Shan looked at Michael as he walked, "Look, I'm sorry, but my parents where killed in the AI-rebellion." Michael stopped and turned to face her, "And what, you want me to apologise for being an AI? This is why I work alone: no matter how small the team, there's always someone who hates AI's for one reason or another. This is why I have to wear contact lenses whenever I'm around humans." Shan was confused, "I'm sorry, but every AI I've ever meet's been a bit, well, mad."  
  
Michael shrugged, "That's the virus: AI's where designed to think logically, but the virus disrupts that." Shan looked at him and smiled slightly, "You don't seam that logical to me." Michael returned the smile, "Like I said: I was an experiment. They gave me some basic emotions and let me develop on their own. They got a bit worried when I started reading poetry." Shan laughed, "We better keep going." 


	5. Ambush

I know, I know: long time, no update. Stuff happened, I was writing other stuff. I should be able to get this finished now.

Angel in Disguise, part 5

The woods opened up to an era of long grass, and Michael stood motionless for a few seconds, "I can't detect anything, but my range is limited without activating my active sensors. It's your call Captain." Shan looked around: the half-light of dawn cast long shadows, limiting her ability to see. She sighed, "Ok, we go, but stay sharp."

The two of them made their way across the grassland, eyes scanning from side to side, keeping a look out for anything hostile. Movement off to one side caught their attention at the same time: they both span round, brining their weapons up as a figure erupted from the grass, a cammo-net covering it's back.

Shan's eyes bulged as she saw who, or rather what, it was: a second AI, an Elroy L model, the same as the one that had broken Paul. The AI tilted his head to the side, it's own weapons pointed at the other three "Now this is one for the books: an AI helping humans. Care to explain, explain yourself?" it's head twitched to the side slightly when it repeated itself. Michael's eyes where fixed on the newcomer, his body shielding Damphousse, "Let's just say I'm not like you and leave it at that. You walk away, we walk away, no one get's hurt."

Elroy smiled, "Well you see, I don't think that's going to happen. I want to know why you're helping those who tried to destroy our people." His eyes moved to Shan, "Especially this one. Oh, I know who you are, Captain Shane Vansen, 58th squadron, US Marine Core. You see; we like to know our enemy." His gaze shifted back to Michael, "Drop the gun or I kill the humans."

The gun fell from Michael's hand instantly, shocking Shane, "What you do that for?" Michael looked at her, "Asimov's first rule: an AI can not, through either it's actions or inactions, coarse a human to be killed or injured. I can't override it." Elroy grinned, "Now isn't that funny: your pet AI can't defend you. How poetic." He moved both his guns to face Shane, "Now you drop your weapons, Captain Vansen."

Michael's action had a fluid grace to them: his free had moved round to his back, drawing an automatic pistol, and brought it round to bare on Elroy, pulling the trigger twice. The rounds struck the other AI in the chest, passing straight through it's power cell. Elroy looked surprised as he fell to the ground, unmoving. A second figure let from the grass, scramming like a banshee. Shane's eyes went wide: a Felicity O model AI, the same as the one who had killed her parents.

She froze.

To Be Contiuned…


	6. Final Countdown

_Sorry it has taken me a ridiculously long time to update this story. I'm not sure why, but I just drifted away from it._

**Angel in Disguise  
****Part 6: Final Countdown**

Michael was turning as Felicity pulled the trigger, the rounds from her weapon striking him in the shoulder, almost blowing it from it's joint. Some how, Michael was able to pull the trigger before the arm fell limp at his side, sending a single round strait thought the other AI's CPU.

Felicity fell flat on her back, her unseeing eyes looking strait up at the sky.

"That hurt." Michael sank to his knees, almost dropping Damphousse as he looked down at the gaping hole in his chest, "I'm afraid that I may be unable to help you complete your escape, Captain Vansen."

"What's wrong?" Shan asked, real concern in her voice, "Is there anything I can do?"

"I am afraid that this is likely to be a terminal problem: my power cell is leaking. I have limited reserves, reserves, reserves." The AI hit himself in the side of the head, "Sorry about that."

"Can you make it to the extraction point?"

"Maybe, if we have no further problems." Struggling under the weight of Damphousse's limp form, Michael slowly stood, shaking slightly, "I sagest we waist no more time: I can not guarantee that I will be able to carry the lieutenant all the way."

"Do you want me to help?"

"In your currant state, you'd be about as much help as a chocolate teapot."

"Was that a joke?"

"Yes."

"I'll never understand the English sense of humour…"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The grassland gave way to rocky foothills, devoid of much cover. Shan noticed that Michael had stopped talking some time back, and realised how much his battery must have been drained.

"Come on; it's not much further." She did her best to sound reassuring, but her words rang hollow: they both knew that the A.I. was not going to survive.

Finally, after what felt like hours, they reached the spot arranged for the extraction. Michael pulled a beacon from his pocket it and activated it, before slowly lowering Damphousse to the ground. He stood up straight, still as a statue.

"You still there?" Shane asked, worried.

"I'm scanning the area around us: there is a Chig patrol 2-kilcks out and closing. We can only hope that the shuttle reaches us first."

"How likely is that?"

"Unlike my fellow Silicates, I never play the odds if I can avoid it."

A loud roar filled the air, and two delta-winged fights passed overhead. They continued on for a second, and then dropped bombs on a clump of trees, obliterating them. Smoke and flame filled the air.

"_Spitfires?_" Shane looked at the fighters as they started to make a second run, "Where did they come from?"

"HMS _Invincible_." Michael remained motionless, "Markings are 617-Squadren."

"The _Invincible_ was assigned to the 15th Fleet, light-years from here."

"When word of a possible peace treaty got around, they where re-directed: there is an entire Royal Navy Task Force in system." Michael looked up suddenly, "Your ride is here."

An ISSCV dropped through the clouds like a stone, only activating its engines at the last moment, hitting the ground hard. The main airlock swung open, and a pair of medics jumped out and ran over to Shane and Damphousse.

"I suggest you hurry." Michael lifted his assault rifle and pointed it at the still burning trees, "The remaining Chig's are massing for a counter attack."

"Come on!" Shane yelled, "Get in the ship."

"I'm afraid that's not possible, captain." The AI looked at her, "Someone has to stay behind and hold them off." He smiled, "Who dares wins…"

Shane tried to say something, but what ever it was the medics had dosed her with seemed to have robbed her of the ability to put together coherent words. Instead she could only watch in surprise as, gripping his rifle with both hands, Michael started to run towards the advancing Chig's, firing round after round into their ranks.

Return fire hit the AI reputably, but he didn't even seem to notice as he continued his suicidal run.

Struggling against the hands that were dragging her into the ISSCV, Shane looked out to see a grenade explode right in front of Michael, swallowing him in smoke and flame.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Shane awoke to find herself lying in a hospital bed, IV tubes and medical sensor connecting her to a bank of monitors. The reassuring faces of Nathan West and Cooper Hawks looked down at her.

"Doc says you're going to be ok." Nathan smiled, "Vanessa's a little banged up, but she'll live."

"Paul?" Shane asked weakly.

The two lieutenants looked at each other, and then slow shook their heads.

"He went down fighting, trying to draw the Chig's off of your pod." Copper explained, "McQueen's being transferred back to Earth for treatment. Commodore Ross is going to pull some strings to get Vanessa sent to the same hospital."

"Excuse me." A voice came from the doorway, and the three marines looked round to see a tall man dressed in the uniform of a British Admiral, followed by a woman in military uniform. Shane instantly recognised the winged-dagger insignia on her shoulder.

"We need to talk to Captain Vansen, in private." The Admiral waited for Nathan and Cooper to leave, before walking over to Shane's bed, "Captain, I am Admiral Hood, commander of the Task Force in this system. This is Leftenant Cross of the 22nd SAS. I thought it was best if we came to see you in person, so you can understand the importance of what we are about to tell you."

"It's about Michael, isn't it?" Shane's words were more of a statement than a question.

"Indeed." Leftenant Cross nodded, "His very existence was a closely guarded secret, and we feel it would be best if it remained that way."

"You don't have to worry; I'm not going to tell anyone." Shane shrugged, "I doubt anyone would believe me anyway."

"I hope you an understand the need for secrecy." Admiral Hood pulled a small box out of his pocket, "Michael obviously had no family, but I feel he would probably want you to have this."

Shane, eyebrow raised inquisitively, took the box and opened it: a bronze cross on a red ribbon sat on the soft velvet interior.

"Is this what I think it is?" She asked.

"It is." The Admiral nodded, "We'll leave you now; the doctors said you need rest."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sound of muffled movement awoke Shane in the middle of the night, and she reached out for the light switch.

"That really isn't necessary." A soft voice stopped her, "And it would raw unwanted attention."

"What?" Shane blinked, trying to find something in the darkness, "Michael?"

"Could be, could be. Maybe I escaped the Chig's and got off-planet. Or, maybe you're having a strange dream caused by the medication you're on."

"My dreams never make that much sense. What are you doing here?"

"I came to say goodbye: I have a new assignment, one that will take me far away from here. Can't say where; operational security and all."

"I'm, glad you're ok."

"Sympathy for the Devil, Captain Vansen? What ever next?"

"Let's just say that maybe there is one AI I don't hate."

"There is hope for you yet. Goodbye."

"Michael."

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"No need Captain, no need: I was only doing my duty."

Shane lay in the darkness for what felt like hours, before finally reaching over and turning on the lights. The room was completely empty, with no sign that anyone had been there.

For a moment, Shane contemplated that t could very well have all been a drug-induced dream, but then she saw the cloth badge placed carefully on top of the box containing the medal Admiral Hood had given her. It was dirty, burnt around the edges, but she could still make out the winged dagger and the words _Who Dares Wins_.

Smiling to herself, Shane went back to sleep. And for the first time in years, there were no nightmares.

**The End**


End file.
